Caracal's Tale
by Caracal Pepin
Summary: Caracal is the latest member of the Pepin family, a family dedicated to protecting the world. However Caracal differs from his ancestors - he desires joy and freedom over training and battle. Can he escape his destiny and live the life he wants?


**Act I – A Boy's desire for Freedom**

**Chapter I - Events**

Ten years ago.

A brown cat in his mid twenties was sat at the far end of a morgue. The cat's muzzle, chest fur and paws were a light blue and his eyes were red. He wore a black trench coat, black fingerless gloves, dark grey pants and a pair of straw sandals. He glanced over at a dozen dead bodies, each covered with a white cloth and let out a sigh.

"So many deaths." He said as he stood up. He walked over to a small, female hand and gently placed his on it, slowly stroking the hand one last time. He closed his eyes for a moment as a tear gently rolled down his face.

"Your husband failed to protect you. And I did as well. Forgive me." The cat whispered.

He turned and walked out of the room into the main hallway of the Brotherhood headquarters. He stood in the middle of a domed room with a glass roof and walk ways linking the two sides of the higher floors. Around him were various bushes and trees and a water fountain in the centre.

The cat watched as the water sprayed into the sky and rained back down again. He smiled as memories came flooding back to him. He remembered the countless times when he stood in front of the fountain with the woman he loved and "conducted" the water for her.

The cat let out a small smile and held out his hands with the index finger pointing towards the fountain.

"I dedicate this last concert to you Lila." He said

The cat thrust his right hand upwards, pointing towards the ceiling causing the water to shoot straight up. Slowly he started to sway his hands, using his hydrokinetic abilities to "conduct" the water; make it dance in time to the music he heard in his head. Losing himself in the moment, the cat slowly closed his eyes and started to sway his head from side to side, smiling in the process while tears streamed down his face.

"Uncle Giomitri!" A small voice called out. A small dark red cat with a grey muzzle and chest fur, blue pants and gold bands on his wrists ran towards the brown cat. Giomitri snaped out of his trance. He quickly rubbed the tears from his face and turned too looked down at him.

"Heya Caracal. How are you?" he asked with a smile.

The young cat kicked his uncle in the shin and frowned at him.

"You said you'd play with me today!" The cat commented.

Giomitri knelt down to look at his ten year old nephew. "Ahh sorry Car. Some Pepin business came up and I need to go speak to your father."

"All... Allright..." The cat said, looking away.

"Hey, why don't you go play with that new girl, Weapon's daughter?" Giomitri suggested.

The young cat looked away, blushing. Giomitri smiled then stood up. He ruffled the top of his nephew's head then walked off.

At the other end of the domed hall was a door leading to a flight of stairs. Giomitri's intentions were to go to the fourth and top floor of the building, the area where his brother controlled the base. As he started to climb the stair case a voice called out to him.

"You seem troubled, Giomitri." The voice asked.

"I'm fine Harry, but thank you for the concern." Giomitri replied.

Harry "Havoc" Blade walked towards Giomitri. He wore blue and silver armour from head to toe and had a grey cape on his back and a katana at his hip. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I know what it's like to lose the woman you love." He added.

"I know. But it's not like she was my wife. Don't forget that Reilly had her marry Silrun." Giomitri said as he turned away, clenching his fist. "I'm just glad Caracal is being spared the pain of losing his mother."

The two walked up the flight of stairs, discussing the recent battle with Dr Ova's last batch of robots and how it cost them to many lives.

"My brother's idea of taking and training novice warriors is perfect on paper but fails in practise." Giomitri commented. "He takes on to many to train properly and none of them reach their real potential."

"The inexperience that lies within those warriors, it will eventually guide them towards an early death." Harry added.

As the two reached the fourth floor, a purple hedgehog with blue streaks in his quills came walking towards them. He held a small stack of papers in his brown gloves and was to busy reading them to notice Giomitri and Havoc.

"Careful Specter. There are stairs here." Giomitri called out.

The hedgehog looked up from his notes and glanced at the two warriors. His eyes were a red/orange colour. He wore a pair of boots that were the same shade of brown as his gloves and a dark violet cloak.

"Is my brother around?" Giomitri asked.

The hedgehog rubbed his chin and looked up. "Last I saw him; he was..." The hedgehog paused mid sentence as tried to remember "Ahh yes. He was standing in the observatory." The hedgehog replied.

Giomitri nodded then turned to walk into the hallway with Havoc following. Specter stood there and watched the two leave, scratched his chin again then quietly followed.

The two warriors continued to walk down the hallway. Havoc glanced over his shoulder for a split second.

"He's following us." He commented.

"Not surprised. He's probably expecting me to start a fight with my brother." Giomitri replied with a small smile. "After all, Lila's death was the catalyst I needed to move my plan forward."

The observatory was a simply office style room with a glass window opposite the door. The window looked over the fountain and plants below. Silrun was standing right next to it, his eyes fixed on his son played with Weapon's daughter Mewrah. He could see his son being chased by the young girl and repeatedly bonked on the head with a wooden sword. Silrun sighed as he turned to a brown hamster that stood to his left.

Silrun had black fur from head to toe and yellow eyes. He wore a medium grey cloak, a pair of matching gloves and a pair of wooden sandals. Around his waste was a brown leather belt with a scabbard attached to it. In the scabbard sat a rather plain looking steel broadsword. Despite being in his mid thirties, his body was still well toned and muscular but also covered in cuts and scars from his warrior life style.

The hamster wore a black gi with the sleeves cut off at the elbow. He wore a black head band across his forehead, a tatty red belt at his waste and a pair of wooden sandals. In his belt he had a katana and wakizashi. The katana was sitting in a red scabbard that was starting to look a little tatty due to over use, while the wakizashi's scabbard was a light blue.

"Some day that boy will control all of this." Silrun sighed again. "And look at him – being beaten up by a younger girl."

"To be fair sir, Mewrah is Weapon's daughter. You yourself said before that Weapon is a mighty warrior, perhaps even stronger than yourself." The hamster replied.

"That is true Minx. However a Pepin can not allow himself to be beaten so easily."

Minx scratched the back of his head as he tried to think of the best reply as Silrun continued to look out the window at his son.

"I think it's clear what you will have to do when he turns twelve. I'm also planning to recruit other tutors, like that pyrokinetic we recently discovered." Silrun continued.

"Is this how you greave?" A voice called out form the other side of the room. Giomitri stood in the doorway with his arms folded and a cocky smile on his face. Havoc walked into the room after him.

Silrun sighed. "What do you want?" He asked.

"Well I'm curious as to why you've not visited Lila yet." The brown cat asked. "I mean you were the one who stole her from me."

Silrun signed and turned back to watching his son. Caracal was sat on the floor, crying while nursing a lump on his head while the girl started to panic.

"As I was saying Minx…" Silrun tried to continue.

"HEY! I'm not finished here!" Giomitri cried out.

"I still fail to see the point as to why you came here. Did you want to vent about her death? Don't forget Lila was a warrior. She lived for combat just like we do." Silrun commented as he slowly walked over to a desk at the other side of the room and picked up a file. "Now if you'll excuse me I have work to do." Silrun said as he started to read the papers.

"Work… WORK..?! HOW THE HELL CAN YOU EVEN THINK LIKE THAT?!" Giomitri cried out.

Silrun slammed the papers onto the desk and looked at his brother.

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! STOP LIVING IN THE PAST GIOMITRI! I'm sorry you're feeling this way, but life moves on!" Silrun shouted out.

The brown cat lunched forward, grabbing the rim of the cloak around his brother's neck and slamming him into the wall.

"IS THAT IT?! IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY?! LILA WAS YOUR WIFE AND THE MOTHER OF YOUR CHILD!" Giomitri screamed into his brother's face. "Do you not remember how that bastard's robots killed her in front of our eyes? In front of your son's eyes? Don't forget you weren't the only one who loved her!" Tears were running down Giomitri's eyes as he remembers Lila's death.

Minx slowly moved his right hand to the katanas on his waist and the left into his jacket, planning to grab some Kunai. However, Havoc throw his arm up in front of him.

"This battle is between Giomitri and Silrun. It is a battle of honour; one you can not get involved in Minx." Havoc said.

The hamster grit his teeth and folded his arms.

"Fine by me, so long as you don't get involved either Havoc." Minx replied with a cold tone in his voice, symbolising his lack of trust in the armoured hedgehog.

A powerful white aura exploded in front of Giomitri, throwing him back. A bubble of water appeared behind Gomitri, cushioning him. He landed on his hands and knees and looked up at his brother. Silrun was covered in the white aura, a representative of the Holy force or "Divine Light". Using his right hand, Silrun drew the battered sword from the scabbard at his waist and pointed the tip at his brother. The blade was covered in chips and cracks from years of use.

"What do you hope to accomplish Giomitri?" He asked.

The brown cast stood up and looked at his brother. He threw off his black trench coat and entered a fighting stance with the bubble of water hovering over his head.

"So it has finally come to this." Silrun sighted. Holding the hilt with both hands, Silrun pointed the sword towards the floor, holding the tip of the word inches from the floor and started to chant a prayer.

The bubble of water transformed into a pair of "Wave Blades", a pair of swords with a handle and a half crescent shaped blade that came out from the base. Giomitri reached up and grabbed one in each hand, spun around and entered a fighting stance with his arms crossed in front of his face. The swords were held with the blade curving down his arm and pointing backwards, in a fashion similar to using Tonfa.

As Silrun finished his pray, a white glow wrapped itself tightly around the edge of the blade, creating a second layer. Silrun quickly opened his eyes and pointed the sword at his brother again.

Holding the sword with both hands, Silrun swung down with all his might. Giomitri created a cross with his Wave Blades and caught Silrun's sword, creating a weapon lock. The Devine Energy soon boiled the water Giomitri used to block the attack. Giomitri grunted as Silrun's attack pushed him to his knees. Using all his strength, Giomitri managed to break through the lock, throwing his brother back slightly.

Capturing more water from the air, Giomitri fixed his weapons and re-entered his fighting stance.

"What do you actually hope to accomplish? Are you still mad about her death?" Silrun asked.

"AT LEAST I'M SHOWING EMOTIONS!" Giomitri spat, tears starting to run down his face.

"You just don't get it, do you…" Silrun sighed and shook his head.

By spinning his writs, Giomitri spun the blades one hundred and eighty degrees, the tips now pointing towards his brother. The brown cat let out a battle cry as he dashed forward, firing berserker style jabs with both hands, hoping to land a killer blow on Silrun. With one large swing of his sword, Silrun managed to knock both blades out of Giomitri's hands, throwing them against a wall. On impact they transformed back into water and evaporated into the air.

"Berserker style?! Honestly. I thought you were better than that Giomitri." Silrun once again sighed.

Giomitri glanced over at the wall where his weapons landed and then back at his brother. Within seconds, his hands were covered with water and he quickly fired blasts of high pressured water from both hands at Silrun, forcing him back against the wall. Giomitri kept pumping more water at his brother, keeping him pinned as he slowly stepped forward.

Silrun re-absorbed the energy he put into his sword then dropped the weapon. His body was soon covered in an aura of divine energy used to once again evaporate the water Giomitri was using against him. As the aura subsided, Giomitri leapt forward with a jump kick which he aimed at Silrun's stomach. The force of the attack caused the black cat to almost fold in half. Giomitri landed then grabbed his brother's head and slammed it repeatedly into his knee.

"MASTER SILRUN!" Minx cried out.

"This is your last warning hamster. Stay out of this!" Havoc commented. "This is a battle of honour. You can no interfere."

Giomitri let go of his brother, allowed him to stand then slammed his forehead straight into Silrun's face. The black cat staggered back, dazed but managed to perform an upward punch into Giomitri's stomach. As the brown cat coughed up blood, Silrun beat him around the head with hook punches.

"ANSWER ME! WHAT IN THE NAME OF OUR FATHER DID YOU HONESTLY PLAN TO ACOMPLISH WITH THIS POINTLESS BATTLE?!" Silrun cried out.

"TO TOPPLE YOU! TO DE-THRONE YOU! TO PROVE THE WORLD DOESN'T REVOLVE AROUND YOU!" Giomitri replied, tears running down his face.

Giomitri grabbed Silrun by the cloak again and slammed him into the wall.

"Father ALWAYS preferred you to me. Everything I even considered wanting was automatically given to you without a second thought. I was never considered simply because I was the second born." Giomitri replied

"How petty…" Silrun sighed.

"Petty? YOU BASTARD! YOU STOLE THE WOMAN I LOVED FROM ME! And yet you aren't mourning her. Did you truly love Lila?" Giomitri asked.

Silrun dropped an elbow onto the top of Giomitir's head, causing him to leg go and drop to his knees.

"I'll say it again, petty. I'm sorry if you think life has always turned against but that's just you looking at it with narrow vision. In case you've forgotten, people have always turned to Pepins. They look to us to guide them, to guide their warriors and generally protect them from the things that threaten their lives. I have more on my plate than you're "Daddy didn't love me enough" issues." Silrun said with his arms folded.

Giomitri slowly staggered to his feet, still dazed from the blow to his head and entered a fighting stance. He blinked a few times and shook his head, trying to shake off the daze. However the fight was over. Silrun walked over to his sword, put it back in his scabbard then returned to his desk. He picked up the papers he was reading earlier and continued from where he left off.

"I think it would be best for all of us if you left Giomitri. If nothing else, you can learn that there is more to this life that your issues. I will always welcome you back her but you need enlightening first." He said while reading the documents.

Giomitri dropped his guard and slowly hobbled to the door. Havoc quick rushed to his friend and aided him out of the room.

A few minutes later the two of them were in the main hallway. Giomitri had recovered enough strength to walk unaided and was heading for the main exit.

"What do you plan to do now?" Havoc asked.

"Well..." Giomitri started.

Caracal ran towards his uncle, crying. He wrapped his arms around the brown cat's legs sobbing like mad.

"Why... Why are you going Uncle?" The young cat blubbered.

Giomitri frowned then let out a sigh. Once again he ruffled the cat's head, causing Caracal to let go of his uncle's legs

"It's... Complex. Your father and I don't see eye to eye any more." Giomitri said.

"But you and daddy were always so strong together." Caracal said as he looked at his uncle, tears streaming down his face.

Giomitri knelt down and hugged his nephew. "If ever you wish to join me, there will always be a place for you."

And with that Giomitri turned and walked out the door.

Later that evening Silrun was tucking his son into bed. He sat on the edge of the bed, ready to pull the sheets up when the boy had finished climbing in.

"There we go. Sleep well Caracal." He said with a smile as he pulled the quilt up around the boy's neck.

"Night daddy." The child replied.

"Why did Uncle Giomitri leave?" Caracal asked as Silrun was standing up to walk out of the door.

The black cat paused. He knew the boy idolised his uncle and one day wanted to be just like him. Would it be right to shatter the boy's illusion of the man who tried to kill him earlier?

"He's... Gone away." Silrun eventually replied.

"Like mummy?" Caracal asked.

"... Yes. Mummy has gone off in search of something that will help Daddy, and Giomitri has gone to help her find it." Silrun replied.

"Okay." Caracal replied with a smile.

As Silrun turned to close the light and walk out the door, he gently bit his bottom lip. He hated lying to his son like that but knew the boy was too young to know the truth.

"When they get back, can we please return to the village? I miss my friend. Why didn't Uncle Havoc bring her with us?" Caracal asked again.

Silrun turned around with a fake smile on his face.

"I'm sure we can. And as for Tifa, she... She's somewhere safe." Silrun replied.

Silrun quickly turned off the light, said good night to his son and closed the door before he could ask any more awkward questions. He looked down the hallway to make sure no-one was walking towards him. The place was empty. For the first time all day Silrun felt he could drop the mask over his emotions. He gently leaned against the door so he wouldn't wake his son and let out a sigh. His breathing quickly increased as he fought hard to fight back tears.

A few minutes later Silrun walked down the stairs into the morgue. He grabbed the nearest chair and sat it next to Lila's body. Once again he checked to make sure no-one was there then burst into tears.

"Oh God do I miss you!" He blubbered. "I miss you so much and yet can't say anything to anyone. Father always told me a Pepin had to be strong, had to be a leader, had to be an example. Showing emotions like this went against what he told me, how he raised me. And now I have people calling me insensitive."

The cat paused to regain control of himself then whipped away the tears.

"No one understands a Pepin's pain..." He sighed.

Epilogue

A skinny, elderly brown hedgehog in a white lab coat was shuffling down a dark, machine filled hall way. His name was Dr Ova, and he was the man responsible for making the robots that gave Silrun such grief.

Ova was chuckling to himself as he approached five tubes filled with a thick green liquid. The liquid's density only allowed for a vague shadowy outline of five hedgehogs hovering with various wires plugged into their body. He stood in front of the middle tube and placed his hand on the glass.

"My children. You shall be the ones who help me exact my revenge on him." The hedgehog said with a smile.

The hedgehog walked towards a control board at the other end of the room and placed his left hand on a leaver.

"My children." He repeated. "You are my greatest accomplishments. Your predecessors were powerful robots, but lacked the heart and soul that comes from being flesh and blood. Steel may be stronger than flesh but it is the heart and soul that makes people warriors." He continued.

The hedgehog paused for a second and ran his right hand down his face.

"It was the heart and soul that gave the hypocrite Silrun the strength to fight on." His eyes lowered and his teeth grit at the merest thought of the warrior at. "A hypocrite who says I'm not fit to rule the world and yet polices it with his Brotherhood. He stops all those who rise against him, always enforcing his brand of justice. TELL ME; WHO SHALL POLICE THE POLICE?!" He cried out.

The hedgehog let out a deep breath and, still holding onto the leaver turned to face the tanks.

"I digress. Just thinking about that damn hypocritical cat... As I was saying, you are generic clones of myself merged with the technological remains of your predecessors. Each one of you represents the various aspects that can make up a warrior – the mind, speed, strength, technology and magic. Together you shall police the police."

And with that, the hedgehog pulled the leaver down. Lights about the capsules started to flash, bringing some visibility to the dark room. Slowly the liquid was drained, allowing the world to finally see what was inside each capsule. Each figure looked mostly the same as the hedgehog – brown hedgehogs with a large quantity of small, pointy quills on their back. The various hedgehogs were covered in robotic parts, each given a single colour.

The figure in the centre slowly lifted his arms, each completely covered in purple tinted metal and a spike on each elbow. The cyborg grabbed the various tubes in his body and ripped them out, then slumped onto the base of the tube. Slowly the creature shuffled out of the tube and onto the metallic floor. Like his arms, his legs and lower waist was covered in purple tinted metal.

The hedgehog picked up a large towel that was rested on the console and walked over to the cyborg. He wrapped it around his "son" and used it to dry off the remaining liquid.

"You are my eldest son. You have been created as a combat genius, able to recognise an opponent's flaws and weaknesses and evaluate the perfect solution for victory. You represent the mind and thus shall be named Atama." The hedgehog smiled.

"Thank you... Father." The cyborg said as he opened his eyelids for the first time. His irises were purple like his body.

The hedgehog helped Atama to a near by chair then went to release the others. The cyborg watched his father, tilting its head to the left slightly.

"Weakness found." Atama commented with an emotionless expression on his face.

The cyborg leapt out of the chair, throwing the towel onto the floor and ran it's right arm straight through the hedgehog's back, piercing his heart. The cyborg's spiked fingers were pointing out the front of the hedgehog's chest.

"cough Why... Why my son?" The hedgehog asked with his dying breath, coughing up blood. The cyrbog's face was still showing no emotion.

"Because you created me to see the weakness in everything." The cyborg replied. He then pulled his hand out of the body, causing it to drop to the floor in a pool of blood.

"I can see weakness everywhere." Atama commented as his "brothers" stepped out of their pods. "We need to exterminate it all."

End of Chapter 1


End file.
